ConnectPhrase · Ages 12-25 · In use
talking stage
The early getting-to-know-you phase, mostly texting and chatting, before two people decide whether they're dating.
We're not dating, we're in the talking stage.
For parents and educators
Normal and mostly harmless. It can drag on and leave kids unsure where they stand. If the talking is only online with someone they've never met in person, ask gently who it is.
Where it came from
Common among Gen Z since the late 2010s.
Also heard as
talking to someone, we're just talking